This invention relates generally to brush cutting machines and more specifically to a blade for a flail type brush cutting machine.
In general, a flail type brush cutting machine is a tractor having a flail cutter attachment attached to the front of the tractor. The flail cutter attachment is generally a shaft member having a plurality of receiving holes on its outside perimeter for receiving a plurality of hangers, a pair of hangers each holding a pair of blades. As the shaft is carried over the ground, the blades slash into the brush to be cut. Typically, in the prior art, the blades used on the flail cutter are an obtuse angled member having a stem; with an attaching hole which attaches to a hanger, and a floor; angled at greater than ninety degrees from the stem, the floor having a cutting edge for cutting brush as the blades are thrust into the brush as the shaft rotates near the ground. Generally, the prior art blades are formed from a relatively thin, flexible metal cut into strips and bent to form the obtuse angle. These thin metal strips have poor integrity due to the forced bend in this relatively thin metal, resulting in excessive breakage of the blades with resultant down time required to change the blades. The prior art blades are not bent to have a full right angle between the stem and the floor of the blade because to do so would reduce the integrity of the blade even more.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,262 to Swertfeger discloses a brush clearing machine with flails that are cast. The flail blades are chisel shaped and have an angle other than 90 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,701 to Weaver, Jr. discloses a rotary hoe with teeth that are forged from angled stock.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,326 to Lundell discloses a hay chopper having radially positioned members for chopping and gathering hay.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,640 to Mott, Jr. discloses a mower blade construction with reversible and resharpenable blades. Elliptical mounting holes are used to attach the blades to a link which attaches to a roller. The blades are bent to form and thus would be vulnerable to breakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,834 to Lambert et.al. discloses a synchronized flail that uses strengthened flail blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,642 to Rasmussen discloses a welded replacement grouser bar for an agricultural implement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,734 to Mills discloses a bottom blade for a grass cutting unit which is formed by bending a steel mounting plate to form a lip.